1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a device used to support ducts and particularly heating and cooling ducts. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flexible support system used to support flexible heating and cooling ducts without pinching the ducts.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional heating and cooling ducts are mounted between floor and ceiling joists in fixed permanent relation. The ducts are commonly restrained by wires or metal straps that are connected to juxtaposed wooden joists or studs of a building structure. Nails or screws are driven into the joists in facing relationship at spaced-apart locations and the wires or metal straps are connected thereto after being wrapped around the ducts to permanently support the same. Frequently, the supporting wires or straps must be released and readjusted in their supporting relationships to realign the ducts, especially when lengthy runs of the ducts may be misaligned. Such relocation of the wires or metal straps is not easily achieved where the wires or straps must be removed from the supporting nails or screws. This may occur in more than one supporting location and often in multiple supporting spaced-apart locations, which is very time consuming and troublesome to properly complete a given construction job.
New heating and cooling ducts are often flexible round ducts that have insulated walls. The typical mounting arrangement uses wires to suspend the ducts from ceiling rafters. The installers prefer to use a few spaced supports. This arrangement often causes the flexible duct to pinch or buckle. Such pinching or buckling can prevent air from passing through the duct or substantially reduce the air passing through the duct.
The present invention provides a device that supports ducts. The device includes a flexible strap that carries a cradle. The flexible strap may be quickly and easily connected in an adjustable manner to a support such as a ceiling or floor joist. The cradle is adjustable carried by the strap and spreads the supporting force over a wide area of the strap to prevent the duct from buckling.
The invention also provides a device that may be looped over a support and connected to itself to provide a support for a duct. A locking buckle is provided on the strap to connect the strap book to itself in an adjustable manner.